Letter from David Forman : Germantown School Election, May 15th

Dear friends, I am a candidate for re-election to the Germantown Central School District Board of Education. Voting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 from noon to 9pm. As there are four additional candidates running for two available seats, I thought it important to explain why it’s a good idea to support my re-election.

I am an eleven-year veteran of the B. of E. I have learned that the only way to ensure stability is to steer the long course – look down the road five years, and refrain from making decisions that may seem easy in the short run, but that imperil our children’s future.

I am a strong supporter of accepting Bard College into a partnership with G.C.S. to create and implement new programs and curricula that will place our school at the forefront of education in New York State. Talks have begun, and prospects are exciting.

I support new initiatives in work/study for at-risk high schoolers; programs that have shown real effectiveness in combatting the hopelessness and alienation that too frequently results in students dropping out before graduation.

I encourage community engagement and involvement in G.C.S.’ decision-making process. We depend on our dedicated faculty, staff and administrators for their professional expertise, but we serve the community, and we must serve responsibly. Sometimes that means making tough decisions.

I fought for a tax levy above the state-mandated “tax cap” of 2%. Whereas New York State used to provide 50% of our revenue, it has decreased its participation to around 30%. This leaves us no choice. If we want a school in Germantown, we have to step up. Losing our school will devastate our town’s social fabric and its economy. It will cost much more to bus and tuition out our kids to outlying districts. Marginally higher rates now will see us through this crisis – a crisis that has districts all across the country looking to merger or dissolution. That can’t be an option, and it must not happen. At our April meeting, the board set the 2012-13 tax levy increase at 5.2%. I would have liked it to be higher. THE FUTURE OF GERMANTOWN DEPENDS ON IT.

Above and beyond the financial difficulties brought on by the Great Recession, the good news is the great majority of our students continue to learn and thrive, and for that we are happy and grateful. I thank you for your support.

IMPORTANT: ABSENTEE BALLOTS may be gotten by calling District Secretary Linda Griffin at (518) 537-6281, ext. 1, during school hours. The District counts on you to vote and EVERY VOTE COUNTS. PLEASE GET AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AND VOTE!